Unscripted

by Claire Handscombe

Nobody is a bigger fan of actor Thomas Cassidy than Libby is. Nobody. That's why she's totally going to marry him.

She is going to write a novel, name the main character after Thom, and find a way to get it to him. Intrigued and flattered, he will read it, fall in love with her prose, write to her and ask to turn it into a movie. She will pretend to think about it for a week or so, then say, sure, but can I work on it with you? Their eyes will meet over the script, and fade to black. It is a fail-proof plan.

Except for the fact that he is a Hollywood star – not A list, perhaps not B list, but certainly C+ – and she is, well, not. Except for the fact that he lives in America. Except, too, for the teeny tiny age gap. Not even twenty years! Totally overcomable. All of the obstacles are totally overcomable. It's all about determination.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2019

Reviews

[Sanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written contemporary novel which captures the complexities of human experience and emotion within our 'dream big culture'.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this holiday read!

The chapters each expose a perspective of a character so you get drawn in to the innermost thoughts of each person. You gradually fall in love with each character. I could identify with so many thoughts, moments, insecurities and crazy actions, making the characters feel real.

Claire's descriptions of places appealed to the senses so that you could almost smell the coffee or hear the traffic. Her depictions of places I have known well made me smile with nostalgia and the images of places I have never been were so vivid I almost felt I had visited.

It has all the feels!

[Nathan Makaryk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to read an advance copy of Unscripted, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It's honestly unlike anything I've read before - the plot often takes second place to a wild stream-of-consciousness style narrative in which the characters, like all humans do, over-analyze their actions and emotions, a rather sobering reminder of how scatterbrained our own thoughts really are. Its a fun balance of confident outward appearances versus chaotic inner catastrophes, wrapped up in a cozy quest where each character obsesses over the wrong things. Definitely not a typical rom-com!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshing read - not your typical rom com! I enjoyed it very much and recommended it. Ms. Handscombe’s writing is ‘very unique’ and smart. I can picture Libby and Thom so perfectly. You can tell that she loves these characters; she is able to reach through the pages and touch your heart.

Well done!

[Jessica Judd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not usually a fiction reader, but I was immediately drawn into these characters’ world. I love books that present each character’s viewpoint to tell the story, so this was definitely a plus for me. The best part, though, is that the characters are so real and relatable. Many times I found myself thinking, “I know that person” or “I get that.” I very much appreciated these characters even if their lives were quite different from mine. I had a hard time putting “Unscripted “ down!

[Claire Handscombe]

Great book! You should totally pre-order it, which you can do at UnscriptedNovel.com.

No bur seriously... it's a weird experience re-reading your own novel when you started writing it in 2013 and haven't looked at it in two and a half years. Relieved that it's still good!

[Emerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting. I stayed up far too late last night finishing this book.

I was recommended this title because I enjoyed Juliet, Naked and One Day, and I am so glad I read it and agree with the recommendation. Although I had some ideas on how the book might resolve, I was pleasantly surprised with the character development that took place. All of the characters were full faceted, and friendships were realistic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Unbound for an advanced copy of this book for review.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written novel that thoughtfully explores what it means to chase your dreams. It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I really enjoyed that each chapter switched between the perspectives of the four main characters. It makes you fall in love with each one individually!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this very well written, with great characterization, insightful and full of warmth. A quick and engaging read. Loved it!

[Marjolein · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Where to start? The premise of the story was promising, but the book itself was a big let down. At least it was for me. The story starts with Thom Cassidy, an actor most known for his role in a sitcom about teachers called the classroom. He is married to Jenny and has four kids with her. Well, he is married in the first chapter. It doesn't take long for him to divorce his wife once his ex-girlfriend's memoir is published. Ebba, the ex, is an intriguing character although some of her chapters felt more like the memoir she wrote than actual fiction. I'm not a big fan of the divorce-trope, especially not if it's used as a plot device to rekindle an old relationship.

Anyhow. Then there's Libby. A British teacher who's obsessed with Thom Cassidy, The Classroom and his career. She has the unrealistic idea to write a novel, to have him read it so she can go to America to live with him while working on the screenplay. It's insane and not cute at all. The way she 'dreams' is just plain creepy and stalkerish. She doesn't give a shit about her so called best friends, especially not Dan (the boy that's been in love with her since their college days). She just uses him as a way to perfect her novel and to hopefully land a publisher. She gets mad at him when he says he doesn't want to be her agent (which is perfectly understandable because even if he wasn't in love with her it would still be a conflict of interest? The fact that she can't see this proves how incredibly naive and delusional she is). Even when her friends tell her he's in love with her, she doesn't believe them and she really doesn't care.

Because she's not in love with him, she's in love with Thom Cassidy. A man twice her age that lives on the other side of the world, has four children, an ex-wife and a potential new lover.

This is where the story gets really wild, though. Because the guy actually comes to England? Apparently he's an advocate for literacy as well and she SOMEHOW gets the chance to give him her novel (but she's also already sent it to his ex Ebba) and he actually reads it? Ok, that can happen I guess. But the book is basically about him and her and it's kinda creepy. I think it's creepy and stalkerish and weird. But he loves it and he wants to write the screenplay with her and she actually gets to go to America to live with him.

I'm just... I can't even begin to comprehend why he would invite her. Why he would want to be a part of this. Write a screenplay with a fangirl who's clearly obsessed with him. Libby is over the moon and heads over to the US, leaving her friends and Dan behind and while she's there for 12 weeks she doesn't contact them at all? She says it's because of 'this is here and they are there' but it's just bullshit. If you really cared about any of them, you'd want to know what was going on in their lives and you'd want to share your own adventures with them. But she doesn't and that's just one of the issues that bugs me the most.

The other being that the minute she finds out Thom actually has been trying to get back together with Ebba, she wants to leave to go back to Dan? Honestly, the boy deserved better. She doesn't want to be second best but he eventually is. To her. She only wants to be with him because her plan backfired and ugh I can't stand it at all. Libby is the most unlikeable, unrealistic, self centered, naive and delusional main character I've read about in a long time.

This book is not cute or adorable or funny. It was only 320 pages but it felt like it was dragging on forever and I couldn't wait to be done with it. I would've DNF'd it, but I wanted to know how things ended for Dan. I really liked him (the reason why I gave this a 2 star rating, if I'm being honest) and I'm sad he didn't get a better ending. He deserves to be first choice.

LIBBY DOESN'T DESERVE DAN AND THAT'S THE TEA

[Juliet Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so many personal connections to this book that it's difficult to untangle what I love about it from what other people might love about it. If you've spent any part of your youth in Cambridge or London; if a night in has you undecided between 'Love Actually' and a Jane Austen novel; if you are an incurable romantic; or even if you love making lists using semi-colons - then you might well love this novel as much as I did.

[Erin]

Giveaway Win!

[Steve McWilliam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author writes elegantly and with a lively enthusiasm which befits her lead character. I found myself drawn to the characters and their complex relationships which are wonderfully developed through the novel.

The book is written from the perspective of several of the different characters: whilst I initially thought this might be confusing, I actually really enjoyed the way it allows the reader to see events through different eyes. I found myself reading on and on to discover how events would unfold.

Unscripted is not the sort of book I would normally read, so I was happily surprised by it. All in all a fantastic debut novel - I will certainly look out for her future work.

[Amelia Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book! The story manages to deal with some pretty complex and realistic issues without being depressing. I find books like this, that are both thoughtful and hopeful, difficult to come by. The settings play a huge role in the story, and each one is depicted so vividly. The story is told from multiple points of view, and each character's voice is so distinct. I could have read any given chapter without the name and identified whose it was. I definitely recommend Unscripted, even if this isn't your usual genre. I found it refreshing and enjoyable.

[Liv Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of four different characters with strong character development, especially Libby. By the end of the book, I was surprised with how mature she became.

I love the character Thom - all round nice guy, considering he's an actor too. Can see why Libby is obsessed with him.

The writing had really beautiful insight and internal character thoughts to make you think.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! Beautifully written. The character development is wonderful, and the relationships felt believable. And the story was a lot of fun. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell so in love with this book. Such a fantasy, yet it feels so, so real. The ending was perfect. It’s a rom-com, but elevated to a new level.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, this story took me a while to settle into it. That being said, once I did settle into it, I soon became swept up in Libby’s world and couldn’t put it down.

We’ve all been there. With a pop singer maybe or an actor. Who didn’t fantasise that somehow that person would come into your life and you would live happily ever after? I know I did. It brought a rush of emotions back to my major crush on Morton Harket, lead singer from A-ha. My wall was plastered from top to bottom of posters and cut outs. It’s a stage though that we grow out of. Or normally do.

Libby I wasn’t to sure what to make of her at first. To say she is mid twenties and still has these fascinations had me thinking she was very deluded. The further into the story we get though, her fantasies start to become reality. I won’t tell you if they all do as that would spoil the story but for me this was the changing point in the novel.

The story alternates between four characters. One of the stand out ones for me was Dan. He has been Libby’s constant go to person since they met. I enjoyed reading of his thoughts and emotions and I had real empathy for this guy. In fact, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the chapters from the point of views of Dan and Thom. It was good to see things from the male perspective.

Unscripted ended up being a surprisingly compelling read of which I enjoyed getting to know the four main characters better as well as the love triangles form. I got caught up in their lives and was intrigued at how it was all going to end. Have to say the ending was the one I wanted it to be and did get rather emotional and shed a few tears. What can I say apart from being a sucker for a happy ending.

Thanks to the author for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

[Kiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little romantic comedy that brightened my February significantly. I’m a sucker for books about famous people, and this definitely scratched that itch. Would make a great beach read.

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

***Thank you to ‘The Pigeonhole’ for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.***
To start, I’m a huge fan of the chick-lit, RomCom genre and I appreciated the positive points contained in this book (which I've listed below). However, this book was not for me. I’ve read worse but I have also read much better, which explains my 1.5 star rating. In fact, after reading over some of the other reviewers' comments and ratings, I questioned whether we had read the same book! Anyway, for me personally, there were way too many negatives - which in the interests of constructive criticism, I have also listed below:

POSITIVES:
• It’s a quick read and a bit of light hearted escapism that doesn’t need much concentration or thought (in fact it’s better if you don’t over analyze it).

• It is ideally suited to readers who appreciate good grammar (as the lead characters of Libby and Dan often congratulate themselves on). Eg. “His pleasure in language, his increasing intolerance of bad grammar: he will never see a missing or misplaced apostrophe and not think of her.”


• Locations are well research, especially the areas around London, Cambridge and Pasadena.

• There are passages that are very well written, descriptive and evocative. I particularly liked the Narnia analogies.


• The characters evoke emotional reactions in readers (mostly frustration, going by our reading group, but still) - we felt something towards them.

• Dialogue, on the most part, is well written and flows smoothly (in fact I'd wished there was more of it to balance out all the internal thoughts).

NEGATIVES:
• The plot is at best predictable and at worst highly improbable. There are many plot holes that can’t be explained other than they are convenient for the continuation of the story. One example: How does Libby not hear Dan say something extremely important (I don’t want to give away the story) whilst everyone else around her obviously does?

• The timelines are confusing. There are A LOT of long-winded backstories and flashbacks that are combined with current events. At one stage (close to the start) there were more flashbacks then anything actually happening. Which slowed the pace considerably.

• There are way too many thoughts and aside notes written in parenthesis (like this). Having completed a number of writing courses, I was told numerous times they are too abrupt (or too formal) a literary device to be used in narrative writing (not critiques like this - so please don’t judge me for using them here). Hence most novels use italic type, commas, like this, or else dashes - like this - before continuing on. A general guide is: Parentheses break the flow of writing, taking the mind of the reader away from the story, so should be used carefully and sparingly.

• The main character - Libby is depicted as:

- selfish, 

- extremely delusional (we’re talking a woman in her late 20’s acting like a teenager with a celebrity crush wanting to marry a stranger double her age and have his babies),
- over emotional (she literally cries if you look at her the wrong way)

- very naive/dumb (she travels half way around the world without knowing the address of the place she’s going to be staying at??? Never mind that she would have needed it for the US Immigration card), and
- has stalker tendencies (which really didn’t strike me as being “endearing” or “charming” as the objects of her obsessions often did). 


I found it incredibly hard to care about her and often wished there would be some sort of consequence for her selfish and immature actions. Eg. She forgets to meet one of the students she is supposed to be coaching on an important day and nothing happens - the student is fine without her - so I'm not sure what the point of that subplot was. The other characters also had flaws and often acted irrationally... but this is critique is already getting way too long

• I also HATED all (I counted at least four examples) of the dropped hints, mainly via the character of Libby, (whom I’ve read was based on the author) that the writer wanted us to love her story and understand her characters. No matter how subtle, writers should never have to beg their readers to like their books or characters. Eg: “She wants him to love the book, the story. To love her.”


• And I REALLY HATED being told to “shut up” it's rude and weird! Eg. “But being more realistic about it (yes, she does understand the meaning of the word realistic, so shut up)…”


• However well researched, there were way too many mundane and irrelevant details, that didn’t need to be included. If they’re going to a pub - just say that. You don’t have to write out its full name, the directions on how to get there and list what’s on the menu. I couldn’t find the exact example but here is another one: “He has given her Valentine’s Day gifts, of course, but they all did that for each other back at King’s, went across the road to the fudge shop, to the market for tulips, to the Lion Yard shopping centre for a box of Millie’s Cookies, and then bumped into each other in the mailroom when they were (supposedly surreptitiously) distributing the goodies in the various pigeonholes.”


• Which brings me to the point of - wow there were some long-winded sentences in this book: Eg. “She lives in Fulham, just a couple of stops from Putney on the District Line or a walk across the river, so it’s easy to see her during the week, and they spend Saturdays together, reading the paper at Costa or going on day trips to places like Hampton Court or Windsor: dreamy places, slightly magical places, places he always said he would go to with Libby, but Libby is far away and has forgotten about those plans, though she clearly has not forgotten about him.”


But I wish the author well with her book and in her future endeavours. ***Some advice for the author (or would-be-authors reading): Consider getting 5-10 Beta readers (who do not know you personally and are not related to you) to give you honest feedback aimed at fixing issues with plot, pacing, timelines and consistency. Then use their suggestions and constructive critiques to improve your work before it gets printed.*** I have been a Beta Reader for a number of professional writers and as such understand the importance of fresh eyes and unbiased opinion.

[Jennifer Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free advanced copy of this, and couldn't put it down. It was very different from what I was expecting, a real page-turner and a terrific style. The characters were incredibly well-drawn. What an incredible, exhilarating read.

[C · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is true that when one chooses to read a fiction novel, you must proceed to read it with the air of disbelief. Things that occur in fiction have little to no chance of happening in real life, and that is perfectly fine; it is the purpose of this genre. Unfortunately, when one reads this book, it is quite impossible to do this. It was a big struggle for me to make it through this book. Luckily, I had a glass of alcohol by my side.

The author tries to make Libby, one of the main characters in this story, a heroine who we all want to root for and see her succeed. However, not only does she not accomplish this, she makes it, so one wants to see Libby fail instead. Maybe this is because of the character traits we see in Libby and her motivations throughout the entire book, or perhaps it is because the author wrote the main characters, not just Libby, to be so flat and one-dimensional that not even an air pump could re-inflate them. And don’t get me started on the other main character, Thom. I believe the only roles she wrote well (and that is still saying something) are the characters that Libby completely blows off and accuses of being against her. They might be the only sane ones in the book

The only good this book does is to reinforce the idea that fan culture can be extremely toxic and unnecessarily creepy. An idea that isn’t so far off when you see fans of a show or a band or some other thing think that because they like a person based on the works they are a part of and their personality, they automatically know what their deepest darkest thoughts are and know every preference they have. That they are the only ones who truly understand that person or group or content

Based on the author’s comments on social media and the way she has promoted it, I am somewhat convinced that this is not a work of literature, but rather the author’s attempt to write a piece of self-insert, role-play fanfiction in which her character (who is actually her in real life) ends up with the actor who plays a much beloved character in a show that lasted seven seasons.

If you have to read this book, borrow it from a friend as I did. If you want to put your money somewhere, donate it to a good cause. If you already bought the book, you can always use it as a coaster, but for the love of God do not donate it to a library or other charitable organizations. No need to make others read this. If you want to read something better written and you are into this genre, you might as well go read some fanfiction. I can assure you, it will be a lot better than this.

[Leah Rachel von Essen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unscripted was a fun contemporary from Claire Handscombe. Libby is a young writer and teacher who has always been obsessed with actor Thom Cassidy. Her hope? That he sees her novel, and decides to write the movie with her...and then of course falls madly in love with her. But as things begin to maybe actually take shape, what about her burgeoning friendship with his ex-girlfriend Ebba? Or about her own long friendship with literary agent Dan?

This novel was a joy to read. Really fun, well-written, and a fast read with pleasant, short chapters. Libby is a bit of a mess, but you love her for the same reasons her friends do: she is impulsive and self-centered, but she is also desperately earnest and sincere. As the novel went on, I found myself resisting the pull towards the predictable ending. But I started to come around. After all, there’s a question throughout about Libby’s own novel and its ending: Is it more realistic to show love lost than to allow the happy ending? And even if it is, does that mean we should accept it? Libby’s dreams, her earnest positivity, is such a prominent theme of the novel, and it really is infectious. In the end, the novel left me satisfied and pleased.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Unscripted comes out April 4.

[Romulus · Rating 2 out of 5]

This might have worked as a psychological thriller about an obsessive fan who is determined to get into the affections of a film star — a Patricia Highsmith or Ruth Rendell kind of story. However, Miss Handscombe is in dead earnest about her unlikely romance. She clearly means us to like and sympathize with her strange, star-struck heroine with whom one may be excused for thinking she identifies. (From the publicity material available on the internet we learn that Miss Handscombe inclines towards the obsessive herself — she left the UK and settled in Washington solely on account of her fixation with The West Wing. She — and her crowd-funding publishers Unbound — seem to consider this an endearing eccentricity that may serve as a selling point.)

The names of the characters in Unscripted are as unconvincing as the plot — Ebba, Libby, Thom. (What is wrong with ‘Tom’? And, given the variety of girls’ names in the Anglo-Saxon world and beyond, the annoying double B could so easily have been avoided.)

[Books 'n' All Promotions · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire Handscombe is a new author to me so I was very excited to be invited on the Blog Tour for Unscripted.

The story begins with a love triangle. Dan is in love with Libby who is starstruck on Thom, a famous actor. Not content with adoring him from afar Libby has a plan. She will write a book then Thom will want it adapted for the screen and they will work together and he will fall in love with her. Poor Dan helps her with this because he loves her and wants to make sure she is okay.

Libby is a character I would describe as flaky. She is hopeless with money and lets her heart rule her head. She is also totally blind to Dan's feelings. However, you cant help liking her and I found myself smiling many times over the course of the book.

Thom appears to be a lovely man his marriage fell apart when an old flame of Ebba's came back into her life so he is 'available' which suits Libby's plans perfectly.

This wasn't the fast paced book I am used to but it kept the pages turning as I was eager to find out whether she succeeds in her quest.

A very entertaining read.

Thank you to BotBS and the author for the digital copy of this book. This is my unbiased review.

[Pheadra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this well-written story most frustrating. The main characters are for the most part immature and delusional and the story very slow-paced but the ending rather abrupt and frankly unrealistic.
Libby is a twenty-something British lass with a crush on actor Thomas Cassidy who starred in The Classroom, years back. She intends writing a book based on him and then plans to send the book to him, along with herself who she imagines will end up loving and marrying him.
She ignores her friends, especially Dan who is in love with her and pursues her goal of writing and sending her script to Thomas. When he replies and suggests she visits him so that they can work on a film script together her imagination takes flight and off she goes on what is a ridiculous fantasy.
Thom is himself, immature and like most Hollywood stars eager for younger female attention.
Libby is gullible and self-obsessed and didn’t score any points with me. Neither did Thom, a man old enough to be her father and the ending saw Dan, her loyal friend falling from grace for me too. Three stars.

[Angie Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a surprise for me. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it at first because for me it was a bit slow in the beginning. But by the end, I couldn’t stop! I stayed up way too late trying to finish it. The different perspectives were great! I love books that have different view points. I was on pins and needles waiting to see if Libby would have a happy ending or not. You’ll have to see for yourself 😊

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book for free by the author.

The book follows many peoples perspectives. Thomas who is an older guy who used to be in a famous show. Libby who is a writer and a huge fan of Thomas. An ex of Thomas' and a close friend of Libby.

What I loved about this book was how realistic the emotions in this book were. All of the characters were a type of love or relationship we have all been in. They were all things that we have all gone through and felt deeply, so when you read it, you just understand it so much. You feel those feelings again. You find yourself rooting for some and not rooting for others.

It was a beautiful and well written contemporary novel!

[Rachel Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It made me smile. It made me sad. It made me nostalgic for those days right out of uni, and made me wish I'd gone to Cambridge! I would have liked more of Ebba and, for different reasons, a lot more of Dan! This is a bittersweet story of what happens when you follow an impossible dream. I loved it.

[Ana Christy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book. It was slow going from the start. I didn't like the main character Libby, she was half the age of the man she was obsessed with, unbelievably immature and had a big swig of delusional stalker thrown in. I also didn't like Thom - honestly, why would a rich Hollywood star want an 'obsessed fan' (his words) to live in the annexe of his garage? My only guess was to stroke his ego. So no, I didn't like him either. Dan and Ebba were better, more rounded and stable characters. The ending was disappointing and predictable.